A common feature of the upgraded Vipers and the powerful Rafale is that they will have the most modern AESA radar in the world.
Powerful Greek fighters over the Aegean equipped with the state-of-the-art AESA electronic scanning radar against the clearly inferior Turkish aircraft with limited capabilities in any form of war. This will be the picture of the aviation correlation between HAF and TuAF not in the very near future but from the coming months. When the 83 upgraded Vipers will gradually enter the arsenal of our Air Force while the French Rafale from 6 will be launched to 24.
In total, in the coming years, the Greek “hawks” will fly with 107 aircraft which will be technologically far from the Turkish ones and will not just cover the numerical disadvantage of the neighbors – which is already disputed due to the low availability – but will have so much great advantage that will be the “nightmare” of Turkish pilots and TuAF staff. Without of course taking into account the significant proven difference between Greek pilots and their neighboring colleagues.
The flawless “maiden” flight yesterday and this morning in Tanagra of the first two single-seater upgraded Vipers caused great satisfaction to the air force staff. The American flying testers of the construction company Lockheed Martin took off and flew the two fighters, controlling the operation of all the systems that have been installed in the hangars of the Greek Aviation Industry in recent months.
The zero observations were the result of the hard work done in ODA by the Greek technicians with the assistance of the LM executives and they pave the way for the delivery of the first upgraded fighters in our Air Force by the end of 2022. Which can is even double the number from the original design if the program continues at the current pace. While at the same time the “hawks” of the 332nd War Squadron will receive another 6 French Rafale to become 12 and even new to become 12 the “bursts” while it continues.
A common feature of the upgraded Vipers and the powerful Rafale is that they will have the most modern AESA radar in the world. The radar that launches the aircraft’s operational capabilities and turns it into an electronic platform with a number of advantages that dramatically change the balance compared to Turkish F-16s that have conventional state-of-the-art radar. And that’s the main reason why the neighbors are pushing the Americans hard to get 40 new planes and upgrade another 80.
Pilots and technicians with extensive knowledge of technology focus the superiority of the AESA radar on the clearly larger range of detection of enemy fighters, which in practice means that Greek pilots will see Turkish aircraft long before they locate them and even approach the Aegean. In addition, the speed of target detection, resistance to electronic warfare, reduced RCS tracking, the ability to passively detect RWR (Radar Warning Receiver) as well as the interference will make the difference compared to even the V / 9 Radar that neighbors have.
But another strong feature of AESA is the simultaneous research and focus on both air and ground targets and the prioritization of threats which enables the pilot in simultaneous air to air and air to ground warfare. Making Viper and Rafale war machines that can deliver terrifying blows to the ground and air and gain absolute air superiority over their neighbors. Perhaps this is the cause of Ankara’s panic and the constant escalation of challenges and threats.
